Public Forum on Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)'s Rate Case for 2023-2026

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold six remote public forums (otherwise known as Public Participation Hearings) to provide an opportunity for customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to offer their perspective and input to the CPUC about the company’s rate increase request (described below), as follows:

WHEN:

• March 1, 2022, 2 p.m. AND 6 p.m.
• March 10, 2022, 2 p.m. AND 6 p.m. (open to all PG&E customers and will focus on PG&E customers in the San Joaquin Valley/Fresno area)
• March 22, 2022, 2 p.m. AND 6 p.m.

WHERE: Remote access via video webcast (observe/watch/listen-only) and phone (listen and participate) for ALL public forums:

• Live video webcast with English or Spanish captions via: www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc
  • Webcast: Participants who access the forum via webcast-only will just have audio and video but will not be able to make verbal comments.If you want to make live verbal comments during the forum, you must call into the meeting with the call-in information below:
  • Phone (English): 800-857-1917, passcode: 6032788# (Participants will have audio in English and will be able to make comments in English.)
  • Phone (Spanish): 800-857-1917, passcode: 3799627# (Participants will have audio in Spanish and will be able to make comments in Spanish.)
  • For captions (English or Spanish), do the following: (1) click on the name of the meeting at www.adminmonitor.com/ca/cpuc, (2) click the green button below the video for captions, and (3) click on the white icon next to the word “live” at the bottom of the video.
  • The forums will be recorded and archived on the Commission’s website for future viewing.

The CPUC welcomes remote attendance and comment on PG&E’s rate increase request at the six public forums, and customers from all parts of PG&E’s service area are encouraged to attend. Comments from customers will help the CPUC reach an informed decision on PG&E’s request. The Administrative Law Judges assigned to the proceeding (A.21-06-021) will issue a written recommendation in the case in early 2023 and the CPUC Commissioners will consider and vote on that recommendation (or a different recommendation) to adopt any final rate adjustments.

You can also make your voice heard in this proceeding and read the written comments posted by others via our online Docket Card on the Commission’s website at apps.cpuc.ca.gov/c/A2106021.

On June 30, 2021, PG&E submitted its General Rate Case application (A.21-06-021) requesting CPUC approval to increase rates for its electric and natural gas customers over four years, 2023 through 2026. Under PG&E’s proposal, the monthly bill for a typical residential customer, including customers enrolled in the assistance program California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), is estimated to increase by 18% in 2023, if approved by the CPUC.

Under PG&E’s June 30, 2021 request, PG&E is requesting a reduction of revenue for anticipated operations and maintenance expenses and an increase of revenue for administration costs, for proposed new capital investments to replace and upgrade its facilities, and for wildfire risk mitigation activities to allow its electric system to better withstand fire dangers. PG&E is also requesting the CPUC approve additional expenses and capital costs for its natural gas operations related to its natural gas distribution system as well as its natural gas transmission and storage systems.

As a result, the monthly electric costs for a typical residential customer (500 kwh/month) would increase by $25.19 in 2023 and an additional $3.94 in 2024, $2.40 in 2025, and $0.72 in 2026. Under PG&E’s request, the monthly natural gas costs for a typical residential customer (33 therms/month) would increase by $10.81 in 2023 and an additional $5.55 in 2024, $5.03 in 2025, and $5.34 in 2026. The total requested increase over these four years for both electric and natural gas would be $58.89 monthly for the typical residential customer with electric usage of 500 kwh/month and gas usage of 33 therms/month. (These estimates are based on a comparison with PG&E rates in effect on March 1, 2021.) These estimates do not include costs related to PG&E’s recent announcement of its proposal to underground 10,000 miles of infrastructure. Details regarding the costs of PG&E’s undergrounding proposal will be provided by PG&E to the CPUC on February 25, 2022 and will be accessible on the CPUC’s website at the Docket Card for this proceeding (A.21-06-021). Other recent rate increases announced by PG&E, which have already been approved by the CPUC, are not reflected in these figures. These recent rate increases include those previously approved by the Commission related to the costs of gas and electricity purchases (A.21-06-001), prior general rate case costs, transmission costs, and insurance costs (PG&E Advice Letter 6408). Further information, including a fact sheet in English and Spanish, is available on the CPUC’s website at: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/pph

Consistent with Governor Newsom’s directive concerning restrictions on public gatherings to protect customers and community members during COVID-19, these public forums (otherwise known as Public Participation Hearings) will not have in-person attendance. Members of the public can view the public forums via the Internet (webcast) and listen and make comment via the toll-free phone line. Those who would like to make public comment must call in by phone.

While a quorum of CPUC’s Commissioners and/or their staff may attend, listen, and participate at these remote public forums, no official CPUC action will be taken on this matter during the remote public forums.

If special accommodations are needed to attend or participate, such as non-English translators or sign language interpreters, please contact the CPUC’s Public Advisor’s Office at public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov or toll-free at 866-849-8390 at least three business days in advance of the public forum.

Further information on public forums is available on the CPUC’s website at: www.cpuc.ca.gov/pph.

The Ruling setting the public forums is available on the CPUC’s website at https://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M447/K264/447264149.PDF.

Documents related to this proceeding are available on the CPUC’s website at: https://apps.cpuc.ca.gov/apex/f?p=401:56:0::NO:RP,57,RIR:P5_PROCEEDING_SELECT:A2106021.